What’s the deal with these amazing insects?

This year “precursors” to Brood X are emerging or will emerge in small to large numbers in D.C., Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York (Long Island), North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Magicicada.org has the most up-to-date map from Brood X.

Note: because of the significant number of cicadas emerging ahead of time, this might be an acceleration event. Periodical cicada accelerations occur when a significant group of an established brood emerge in years ahead of the main brood, and sometimes the accelerated group are able to reproduce and create what is essentially a new brood. Brood VI was likely part of Brood X at one point of time1. We’ll have to see if the Brood X stragglers are able to survive predation, and reproduce in significant numbers to sustain future populations. They are certainly trying.

Don’t panic! Less that one percent of a Brood straggles. If you had 10,000 cicadas in your yard back in 2004, you can expect a less-frightening or more manageable dozens or hundreds (okay, maybe 1,000s). :)

Brood VI is also emerged this year?

Brood VI also emerged this year in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. These cicadas emerged on schedule, and are not stragglers. It is believed that Brood VI descended from Brood X through acceleration (mentioned above).

What are stragglers, and why do they straggle

Stragglers are periodical cicadas that emerge in years before or after the brood they belong to is expected to emerge. Typically 17-year periodical cicadas emerge 4 years early (see the probability chart). While stragglers might not produce enough offspring to produce future generations, straggling is something periodical cicadas do — it is hard-wired into their DNA. The 4-year interval is also typical.

Stragglers are not a new phenomenon. William T. Davis documented accelerations of cicada populations back in the 1800s, which was reported by C.L. Marlatt in the 1898 document The Periodical Cicada. An Account Of Cicada Septendecim, Its Natural Enemies And The Means Of Preventing Its Injury.

Mr. W. T. Davis records the occurrence of scattering individuals on Staten Island in both 1890 and 1892, neither of which is a Cicada year. These may have been of accelerated or retarded individuals, but possibly represent either remnants of broods or insignificant broods not hitherto recorded.

In the case of W. T. Davis’s observations, Brood II would have emerged in 1894 in Staten Island, so 1890 would have been a 4-year straggler/processor/acceleration, and 1892 a rare 2-year acceleration.

The term “straggler” throws people off, because most people are familiar with the definition of straggler that means “something that falls behind the main group”. These cicadas are clearly ahead of the main group, not falling behind. Straggle can also mean “to wander from the direct course or way” (Merriam-Webster), “to trail off from others of its kind” (Merriam-Webster). In terms of cicadas, scientists and naturalists have been using the term “straggler” for over a century, so it has stuck around. For now, don’t worry about the term, just know that it means periodical cicadas that are not emerging on schedule.

Climate and Stragglers

It makes sense that climate variations would trigger periodical cicadas to emerge ahead of time. Periodical cicadas take cues from the seasonal cycles of their host trees. An unusual climate event, like a hot fall or winter, might cause trees to signal cicadas that additional years have passed, and cause them to shift to emerge early. In the paper, How 17-year cicadas keep track of time, Richard Karban was able to show that you can speed up the time it takes for a periodical cicada to emerge by artificially altering the seasonal cycles of their host trees2. It’s likely that the Brood X stragglers emerging now were set on their path to emerging 4 years early not this year or the last, but many years ago.

Metropolitan areas like Washington D.C., called “HEAT ISLANDS” (read this article), can often be much hotter than surrounding rural areas due to human activity. The effects of living within a heat island may have disrupted the seasonal cycles of the cicadas’s host trees, and therefor the cicadas themselves. Localized climate change will be considered as a contributing factor to their early emergence. If we find considerably less stragglers in rural areas than city areas, then we could draw a conclusion that local climates are contributing to straggling.

Other than climate (in the long term), weather (in the short term), and a natural propensity to straggle or accelerate, population density is another reason why cicadas will straggle. If there is a high density of them underground, vying for limited resources, some might emerge a year or so before or after the main Brood.

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Update #12 Last week I traveled west to look for stragglers in Ohio and Indiana. I found exuvia (cicada skins) north west of Indianapolis, Indiana; exuvia in Cedar Springs, Indiana; active, mating periodical cicadas in several small towns north-west of Columbus, Ohio; and exuvia & a few adults in Princeton, NJ. See a map of my sightings.

Periodical cicadas have been spotted in the Hudson Valley of New York state.

My first time posting, or even learning of this site! Two days ago I heard cicadas singing as I walked across my job’s parking lot. This morning a coworker found one in the early stages of molting. We have been watching the whole process unfold before our eyes. We are in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

I live in MD and 2wks ago I was seeing quite a bit of them emerging and their exoskeletons, etc…The following week, it was rainy and somewhat chilly (upper 50’s-mid 60’s). Did that kill them off? Most of this past week has been pretty warm, esp the last 3 or so days and I’ve only seen a few, literally a few exoskeletons and no adults anywhere…Are they just in hiding? Was really looking forward to seeing them…

Hi Christa, It is good to know that your emergence did not persist. We are looking for this kind of information as well as reports of successful chorusing trees. I agree with Dan than both cold, wet weather and predators are detrimental to the cicadas and we are wondering how many populations of Brood X stragglers have managed to persist despite the cold and the predators.

Springfield, VA here, also had a few emerge here, but no chorusing trees, and no evidence of adult bumbling around. Just a few exoskeletons lying around for my son to freak out the neighborhood girls with.

Cameron — usually a week, but they won’t sing unless they’re happy. Maybe sure they have a good food/fluid source — oak branches in water changed every day or a flower pot with a small oak in it should suffice. Also, its going to help if it’s warm and sunny, like there natural outdoors habitat. Ideally above room temperature (72F). You might be able to get the males to sing or females to flap their wings if you play them songs. Here’s the court songs of a cassini https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPRZBaR9FSo&list=PLMeYvbKcL_bK312TUE67ZbdaGOuJ00LWg&index=31

Is it possible for the female to be laying eggs while mating with a male? I observed that scenario during the 2004 Emergence in Dayton Ohio. The anatomy diagrams I have seen suggests that could be possible. The female reproductive system seems to be quite a complex structure.

I would love to see a high magnification video of the ovipostior cutting into the branch. There maybe some manufacturing or biomimicry benefits to the shape of the ovipositor and the way it cuts into the branch.

The few videos I have seen do not shown enough detail. All you can see from a bit of a distance is the ovipositor going in and then being pulled out.

Do cicadas hang on the side of the house? I’m hearing an intermittent vibrating noise when I’m sitting inside the house and when I try to find it, it’s coming from outside. It seems to more at night, so I haven’t looked led outside yet.

This is great information to have Iona! Can you tell us in later posts how long these continue to sing and whether you see egg laying? Can you also tell us in which section of Bloomington you are located or better yet, post the GPS location of the chorus tree on Magicicada.org. Also, if you find multiple chorusing trees around town, let us know that too. Thanks! Chris Simon

Bloomington, IN – I’ve been seeing a whole bunch around town, though one particular tree on my property is practically raining cicadas. Plenty of holes and shells on the ground. Are these the yearly ones or brood X stragglers? I’m new here (originally from Maryland).

Definitely hear cicadas now that the sun has come out for the first time in several days. Located in Merrifield, Fairfax County. Not chorusing like in a large emergence, but still very noticeable. At my parents house in Vienna, I noticed that two maple trees seemed to have the vast majority of holes and shells. I can’t remember 2000, but in 2004, the cicadas were far more spread out. These trees are both very sickly and may not survive until 2021. Is there a possibility that the health of the tree can affect the cicadas? If a tree dies, can the cicadas live off its root system for several years?

Vienna VA. has many emerging. when it is warm (Upper 60’s so far) the background hum is wonderful. when it gets warmer there will be many more. In 1970, 1987, 2004 there were many more, since they were on time. Although these are early emergers, there are quite a few of them in Vienna. Waiting to see if there is any significant difference in the 2021 emergence………………….bill

If anyone has a lot of emergence holes on their property, a useful experiment would be to mark out a meter (39″) square plot, photograph the holes, then dig one foot down throughout the plot and count the number of fifth (final) stage nymphs. It would also be useful to note whether the eyes of the nymphs are red (soon to emerge) or white (not emerging within the next year). If you do collect such data, please report it on this website and contact me at the University of Connecticut. Chris Simon

Is this early emergence likely to lessen the 2021 emergence from what we saw in 2004? Despite the numerous stragglers it doesn’t seem that most Brood X areas are going to sustainable levels for a new brood. If this is the case, and the 2021 event is lessened, it doesn’t seem to bode well for Brood X unless this is a one time thing. Doesn’t seem like anyone remembers 2000 being comparable to this year.

Indianapolis, Indiana here, near Ft. Harrison. I have a hundred or so of the casings in a few of my trees and on the wood siding of house. Grass around trees are full of them also. I have saved a few crawling nymphs out of my window wells and placed them at base of the trees. Have spotted several nymphs crawling up tree trunks. A few cute red eyed cicadas that are ready to go are hanging out in the tree leaves. Also have seen a few flying and a call here or there.

I am in Centerville Ohio and we have several shells and many live bugs. They are falling from the trees and covering my wooden fences. Are they harmful to the dog? She loves chasing them around the yard and eating them!

Haha – I read up on this a couple of years ago when my dachshund taught my Malamute how to dig for them. They’re not dangerous unless your yard is treated with dog-unfriendly pesticides or your dog is the type that will gorge him/herself. Moderation in all things, even the creepy-crawly ones. :)

A lot have been emerging all week but last night was the worst (to me, because my dog won’t stop hunting for them). This is on the northeastern edge of the Baltimore City line. I’d love to share a photo collage of the insanity but can’t figure out how.

It just depends. I’ve seen their molted skins stay stuck to trees for many months after an emergence, but typically the rain or wind knocks them off. Animals like squirrels and birds also use the skins as building material for their nests.

We’ve been seeing them emerging for at least 5 days here in Louisville KY. So surprised to hear they are part of the 17 year brood expected in 4 years. Today is the first time I have heard them “vocalizing”, but not the continuous chorus yet.

I live in Bethesda, MD. A few exoskeletons were laying in front on my house but only spotted a couple of red-eyed cicadas just hanging around. I also saw a couple where they were missing the bottom half of their body but they were somewhat still alive – not sure if the bottom half was eaten by a bird or they emerged that way.

As of today they’re singing in Takoma Park, MD! Still not a fully continuous chorus, but it’s getting closer as the day progresses. I’ve been seeing them flying by my window a lot, from tree to tree. Sometimes they make it, sometimes a bird dives from nowhere to catch them mid-air.

That’s a substantial septendecim chorus in the background. Does anyone there perhaps know if a substantial number of these things were out in that location 17 years ago (making this an established brood VI population)? It sounds like it’s going to be making an appearance 17 years from now.

In Woodmoor neighborhood of Silver Spring, MD. Under one Maple tree there have been 100-200 nymph shells. I’ve personally seen at least 50 adults total over the last week though I’m only there a couple times a day. The odd thing is that all the surrounding yards only have 5-20 shells max. Small typical straggling emergence everywhere other than under this one tree where it approximates (maybe 1/4-1/2) the density of the 2004 emergence.

I am in Northern Virginia, Fairfax County. We have the Magi Cicadas but I am concerned at what I am seeing. I am noticing a high early mortality rate.

I am seeing a lot of cicaada bodies around and they have only just started hatching. I have never seen an early mortality rate as high as this before. These are the orange eyed Magi Cicadas, thought to be some of Brood X coming out early.

We’re in Central Ohio, Simon, and are seeing the same phenomenon. Clusters of dead insects, lots of shells, but very few live cicadas. The ones that are alive are sluggish and definitely smaller than the ones in full-blown emergences. We’ve seen none flying; the live ones are crawling in the grass, and seeming to have trouble with that.
Is anyone else in Ohio experiencing anything similar?

I am in Indpls, IN & I just had one hatch right in front of me. Poor little guy is very sluggish , his wings are so small & all he can do is crawl and barely do that. I had one last night so the same thing, so this is lil guy #2.

Bowie, Maryland (Prince George’s County)….Several have emerged and shed exoskeletons on my front porch and yard within the last 3 days, however, it has not been like the masses that emerged and shed in 2004.

I’m in Loudoun County in Northern Virginia, and I took some pictures of a straggler this morning. He (she?) wasn’t very lively, but did accomplish a hop or two while I took the pictures. Shall I forward them on?

Saw a few empty shells yesterday, live ones on screen today in N Arlington VA. Was totally phobic in 2004 and not happy today! Will get the veiled hat I got for 2021 out of the basement… they remind me of flying palmetto bugs but en masse…

Last week either a raccoon or an opossum dug up our grass around an old maple tree in our yard. There were lots of little holes around and some scat. Subsequently we have seen many cicada carcasses and flying cicadas etc. We googled and found the straggler info. Fascinating! Arlington/East Falls Church area, Virginia.

I’m not in love with the term straggler either, but it is the correct scientific term, at least in terms of periodical cicadas. Cicada researchers have been using it since 1898, and in defense of them, the term “straggle” can also mean “to wander from the direct course or way” (Merriam-Webster), “to trail off from others of its kind” (Merriam-Webster). In the case of cicadas, these definitions make sense because they’re deviating/straying from their normal course (a 17-year cycle). Some literature calls them “precursors” which makes sense in terms of the cicadas being a precursor (“one that precedes and indicates the approach of another”) of the main brood — however, where precursor doesn’t fit is in the case of an acceleration. An acceleration, in terms of periodical cicadas, is when enough stragglers emerge that are able to reproduce and form a new Brood of cicadas emerging typically 4 years prior to their parent Brood. We think that Brood X derived from Brood XIV through the process of acceleration. If enough of these Brood X stragglers emerging now reproduce and form healthy populations, they’ll fall into synch with Brood VI. It’s complex. There are also decelerations.

Perhaps researchers should call cicadas emerging early “precursors” or “pioneers”, and those emerging later as “stragglers” just for the sake of eliminating confusion. We would still need a term for the phenomenon in general — perhaps “deviants”.

Magicicadas are dropping from our oak trees at night in good numbers now. In Northern Virginia.

The Brood X straggler theory makes sense since a successful brood with a 17-yr. cycle could spawn a splinter 13-yr. cycle due to genetic variation. Our last Brood X in 2013 was astounding.

But, we see a least a few most years. The climate change theory seems fishy. I could see a species with a yearly cycle coming early because of a warm winter or spring, but how could a period be controlled by temperature and still keep to a prime number of years? Even if it did, it seems we would see 11 yr. and 19yr. cycles given how many periods of relative warmth and cold we see over decades.

Silver Spring MD, 9511 Saginaw St. We have had early morning Brood X stragglers in our front yard for a week now. Every morning the last instar can be found crawling up our light pole and the two maple trees in our front yard. Nothing in our back yard, however!

There were hundred that emerged last Friday (May 12) in the cool rain with another emergence equal in size this evening (May 16) with the warmer weather on my property in Fairfax County close to the Alexandria, VA border. They are currently walking across my front lawn towards my house and the maple trees in my front yard. I have videos of crawling nymphs and resting or walking adults. The only adult that I saw take wing was unfortunately summarily eaten by a bird within five seconds.

I’ve seen hundreds of exoskeletons in my neighborhood in Springfield, VA. They are stuck to trees or in piles on the ground near the base of the trees. Have not seen any activity / living ones though. Saw just one in the process of dying.

Is there a way to confirm that the cicadas currently emerging in Northern Virginia are Brood X stragglers and not Brood VI cicadas? If they are Brood X stragglers, are they numerous enough to develop into a new Brood with a different 17 year cycle?

It is looking like these are Brood X stragglers, and not Brood VI populations. There is a chance that there are some populations that are in synch with Brood VI, though. The Magicicada.org researchers are on the road now checking things out in-person.

They might be numerous in some locations to develop into a new Brood (which would be in-synch with Brood VI, and more or less becomes Brood VI). For that to happen we’re talking about A LOT of cicadas — tens of thousand to a million per acre. Periodical cicadas have high mortality in all phases of their life, so it take a lot to create and sustain a population. Brood XI in the 20th century because they couldn’t keep it going.

But these sort of events do appear to be how one Brood evolved into another Brood over the years, so its is possible.

The title of the article and use of the word “locust” in the article were added by the editors and I know it’s not accurate. I thought you’d find the reader comments and cicada observations interesting. The article is also on the Facebook page of the Capital Weather Gang and there are more interesting reader comments, photos, and a cool video of the cicadas.

One of our readers asked the question: Are the Brood X stragglers converting from a 17 year brood to a 13 year brood? Do you have any thoughts related to that question?

More likely would be a conversion to a different 17-year brood. In theory periodical cicadas “accelerate” to form new broods. In other words, a portion of the brood emerges 4-years early, and then returns to a 17-year cycle. It’s thought that Brood X derived from Brood XIV, Brood VI derived from Brood X, and Brood II from VI. More than likely the cicadas that emerge this year won’t emerge in numbers large enough to create the new Brood.

That said, they’re wired to emerge in 13 years as evidences by these straggling/acceleration events, and the 13-year broods (XIX, XII, XIII). So I’m not ruling anything out.

Would you be willing to be interviewed about the cicadas over email? I was tasked to write another article. If so, please send me an email and I can put together a list of questions and start the discussion. Thanks for considering.

Several on the trees outside of my house in Del Ray, Alexandria, Virginia. One young one got in through the second-floor skylight last night. Still immature, with clear-ish wings and brown body coloration, but even so, definitely one of the tribe.

Several on the trees outside of my house in Del Ray, Alexandria, Virginia. One young one got in through the second-floor skylight last night. Still immature, with clear-ish wings and brown body coloration, but even so, definitely one of the tribe. BTW, the birds are especially songful in recent mornings.

I saw one emerged X yesterday around 1730. It was trying to climb up my fence. Interesting to watch my dog interact with it. It went higher than she could and I’m hoping that 1-it didn’t get eaten by one of the many birds here and 2-I see more.

Hello Dan, I have a question yesterday morning they were crawling on the grass and trees but in the afternoon I did see any. I went back outside this morning and there is none. Can you tell me if this is normal were are they?

I noticed them in Columbia, MD yesterday, a few here or there then they really seemed to increase. I did a short video as I found one morphing before my eyes! Lots of ground holes, skeletons, and some live one’s. They are NOT sing in, looks like they might be expected to start later in the week? Ugh

Huntington community, Alexandria, VA–Yesterday we had at least 50 or 60 on plants, a few flying, and plenty of exit holes all around, especially in our small back yard. A couple landed on me at different times while I was taking photos. They were most visible in the middle of the day, did not seem to mind the wind at all.

Today in Fairfax, VA, one landed on my torso under my arm — almost crunched it! Saw an exoskeleton on a tree leaf. Had one crawl on my foot a few minutes later. Went out for a few hours, then saw a younger one crawling around when I came home.

We live in Arlington, VA, but came from Idaho 1.5 years ago so this is foreign! We walked up and back 7 houses on our street tonight and saw 43 exoskeletons and dead appearing insects. Only one was alive and flying. I have a picture of the red eyes! Fun for my 7 year old!

New Carrollton, MD: I’ve found several shells around my front and back porches over the last week. This afternoon I almost stepped on a live one in my yard! Not as many as others are reporting, but definitely more than I expected to see this year.

I’ve been seeing exit holes in my veggie garden beds for a week or two, and also have seen several nymphs and the odd exoskeleton, and pretty sure I heard one or two singletons the other day, but I have yet to see the actual cicadas here in Rockville, MD, although I have friends who have seen them.

I saw a lot on the ground today, May 15, 2017. Most were dead or at least dying. They looked smaller than I remember. We’ve been having crazy spring weather with cold, then hot, then cold, then hot, etc., which would follow what you described as reasons for early stragglers.

I’m in Sterling, VA. There are hundreds in my yard. I’m catching and saving them for fish bait. The bass will love them. My yard guys just showed up and are mowing. So they’re probably done for, unless they’ve gotten high up on the trees.

I live in Clinton, MD, so far I have only seen them on my street. They are all over the driveway, trees and on my porch. I have two big trees in my yard and they are covered with them and the skeletons. I am so scared of bugs so this will be a long summer spent indoors until they are gone.

Visiting home for the week (Upper Marlboro) and got quite the surprise while jogging through my parent’s neighborhood. They are all over the sidewalks…Yikes! Glad we’re only here for a couple more days.

You call the early emerging Brood X cicadas ‘stragglers’….but an entomologist friend of mine defines ‘stragglers’ as those that are late, while ‘precursors’ are defined as those that are coming early as in the case of some Brood X emerging now instead of in 2021 when the majority are expected to emerge…..so which is it? Stragglers or precursors?

We walked out this morning to find hundreds emerging and shedding. We live in 20151 – Chantilly, Va. So cool! My daughter loved it. I saw a strange one, it was creamy white. Anyone see one like that? It was bigger than the rest too.

I can report that the second wave has emerged this week. I live in Arlington, VA and our walkways/trees are covered. There are hundreds at least.

We had a big group emerge last week when it was warm. We didn’t see any more for the rest of the week when we got cooler temperatures and rain. Yesterday was beautiful (75F) and this morning there are exoskeletons everywhere. I think many more will emerge this week.

Update #6.5 It looks like cicadas emerging in Knoxville are actually Brood X stragglers, because they did not appear in 2000 (which would have made them Brood VI), but appeared in last in 2004 (thx Ijams Nature Center)

Update #5 A remarkable number of Brood X stragglers have been emerging in the D.C., Virginia, and Maryland area. The cool, rainy weather should “chill them out” for a few days, but by the end of the week with the HOT 🌡️ temps, more will emerge, and the males that aren’t eaten by varmints may start to sing.

Update #7 Wow! Brood X stragglers are emerging in Tennessee (around Knoxville), Virginia, D.C., Maryland, Delaware and Ohio! These stragglers are emerging 4 years ahead of time. HOT weather this week will cause even more to emerge, and they may begin to chorus (synchronized singing) as well.

Hey I’m planning a trip to see the cicadas this upcoming weekend. Do you think there will be more emerging in Washington Virginia/DC or should I make the trip all the way to North Carolina to see them. I like to see them as nymphs. Thanks.

Check the weather, and use that to decide. It looks like it will be sunny next weekend around Washington D.C., but rainy and overcast in North Carolina, therefor DC/VA is your best bet. Use the map on Magicicada.org http://magicicada.org/databases/magicicada/map.html to decide where to look. Keep in mind that most sightings come from people’s homes, so you’ll have to go to parks near the area.

Came here to confirm emergence in full swing here in Silver Spring, 20901 (Four Corners) – spent some time outside last night just watching the show and shepherding some of them to optimal molting locations.

I live in Arlington, VA and on Thursday, May 11 about 8pm, hundreds and hundreds emerged in my yard at the same time. I had been gardening for quite awhile and they came out of the grass like clockwork. I have several large, old trees on my property, two of which are silver maples.

I work in Springfield, VA and live in Annandale, VA and there are lots of holes in the ground and exoskeletons on most trees in both locations (6 miles apart). We didn’t have much activity last year. I have lots of woods next to my house and office. Have not heard them, yet.

I walk dogs in the Fairlington area of Arlington County. Today I saw lots of shedded skeletons but mostly dead adult cicadas. We have a lot of birds and dogs here so that could be a factor. The birds have been very active today!

The ground is very much alive tonight. Many more emerging from the ground, crunching through the grass, climbing trees, and emerging as full adults. May well be hundreds, and many more than just a few days ago.

It would be great if you can let us know whether your populations continue to build and start chorusing (and how loud the chorusing is in good weather). Your information and that of others reporting to this site and to Magicicada.org are very valuable to us scientists!

PS ECF Did you live in the same spot in 2004 (Brood X) and if so, were there periodical cicadas emerging in large numbers? If you were not there, do your neighbors remember? For anyone who writes in, it would be useful to know what you experienced at the same location in 2004.

Hi, Chris — I live in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia (22301), on a heavily treed lot with mature oak and maple trees. I’ve been here since 2000, and was a victim of the 2004 (Brood X?) swarm. So far this season, I’ve seen maybe 20 shells and one live specimen … nothing even close to 2004.

I live in Falls Church VA with a large old maple in the front yard. We are crawling with them – hundreds all over my front lawn and crawling up the house – maple is covered with them. They are shedding their exoskeletons as I write. I was here in 2004 and don’t remember anything like this….

We’re in Fairfax VA. We have 5 big silver maples and 2 tall pine trees in our backyard and our neighbors also have 5 maples. The kids were having so much fun jumping from yard to yard watching the cicadas emerge and shed their exoskeletons. We used our flashlights well into the evening to rescue them from the grass to get them closer to our trees. Hopefully they’ll climb high during the night before our dog goes out in the morning. She was gorging on them before we realized what was happening. Between our 2 yards there were at least 1000 emerging and hundreds shedding. We couldn’t step without moving them out of the way first to clear a path. No black adults just the newly emerged white ones. I did report them on the website.

Columbia, MD
We’ve been watching them emerge from the ground; crawling on the trees, house, and sidewalks. We’ve seen a few over the last week, but today there were many (and shells)! We could also hear them crawling out of the ground, rustling through the mulch and leaves.

We live in Falls Church, VA in a house that was built in 1948. We had a huge number of cicadas in 2004. Tonight I spotted a considerable number of cicadas coming out of holes in the lawn and climbing up the front of the house. No where near 2004 numbers, but certainly more than a handful. Wondering if the fact that we had a very old tree removed in the front yard a couple of weeks ago contributed to the emergence – I don’t seem to notice any in the neighbor’s yards.

I’m a naturalist at Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville, TN. We have observed emerging cicadas over the last 2 days here. I’m guessing they are Brood X stragglers based on the geographical data. Exciting, but disheartening if they are indeed yet another indicator of climate change.

Hi Dan! I just saw an update that the Knoxville cicadas might actually be Brood VI. How can we tell? So many folks here are asking about them and I want to be sure we’re giving them the best information. Help!

Update #3 There have been many Brood X straggler emergences reported so far. Stragglers have been reported in the Cincinnati area of Ohio; Bowie, Maryland; Prince George’s County, Maryland; Springfield, Virginia; Reston, Virginia; and the D.C. area in general.

An article from the PSU extension http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/periodical-cicada. They have Brood VI emerging in 2000 in “Bucks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, and Westmoreland Counties” but it very well might be accelerated Brood X. To be determined.

An article by John Zyla and J F Taylor http://biostor.org/reference/55365/page/1 about “Reports of four year accelerated occurrences of the 2004 emergence of periodical cicadas, Magicicada spp. (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) brood X in Maryland,Virginia, and the district of Columbia”.

Hey it’s me again, I have a question. Do you think it would be sensible to take a ride down to D.C this weekend and search for stragglers? I heard they might come out in moderate numbers down there. Thanks.

LOL! That’s up to you. There are definitely reports of stragglers in the DC and MA area appearing on Magicicada.org.

I’m going to be lazy and check out Princeton, which had a massive Brood X emergence in 2004, and should have some stragglers. I’ll probably wait a few weeks though because the weather has cooled down again. Also, there was a sighting in Cheesequake park. I’ll check that out as well.

LOL! Thanks Yea Cause D.C had temps in the upper 80s for a few consecutive days. Even though it’s cooler there now, a few probably already emerged. I am just a little skeptical on where specifically to go. Thanks

Update #1 Dr. Gene Kritsky of Mount St. Joseph University reported the emergence of adult cassini in Cincinnati, and the discovery of more red-eyed nymphs ready to go. Visit his site for more updates. According to Gene “the cicadas are either the offspring of the Brood X accelerated cicadas from 2000 or it is an accelerated 2021 Brood X cicada. My guess is the later because it is from an area where I did not have reports of mating cicadas in 2000.”